201106 South China Sea crisis a chance for ASEAN to prove its worth

Experts and officials agree that ASEAN plays a key role in diffusing the tension and resolving the conflict.  If the ASEAN “wants to be at the center of its security universe, then it must be willing to confront difficult security situations such as the overlapping claims in the South China Sea,” says Mohd Nizam Basiron of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia.

Original link/ Source

201106 More Trouble in the South China Sea

A article on The National Interest published in 2011 June-14, Ted Galen Carpenter discusses:

Washington faces a dilemma with the South China Sea controversy. The United States is the quintessential maritime trading state and, by far, the world’s leading naval military power. U.S. leaders have always been vigilant to challenge any actual or potential disruption of navigation rights in international waters. That position goes back to the first decades of the Republic, epitomized by the U.S. naval and marine expedition against the so-called Barbary pirates during Thomas Jefferson’s administration.

On the other hand, Washington places a high priority on maintaining good relations with China—relations that are already somewhat strained because of other issues. U.S. officials face a difficult choice. To prevent further damage to the bilateral relationship, they can mute their opposition to Beijing’s rather transparent power play in the South China Sea—even though that would weaken America’s traditional emphasis on unimpeded maritime rights. Or they can take a strong position against China’s territorial claims, even though that stance may cause the bilateral relationship to fray further. But a choice has to be made, because the South China Sea problem is not going to go away.

Original link / Source 

201106 China Accuses Vietnam in South China Sea Row

In June, BBC News updated the current dynamics of South China Sea, mentioned,

Beijing said Vietnam had endangered Chinese sailors' lives and warned it to stop "all invasive activities".It follows an accusation by Vietnam that a Chinese fishing boat rammed cables from an oil exploration vessel inside its exclusive economic zone.

Original link / source